Burgundy still dominates sales of fine whites, says auction house
According to iDealwine, Burgundy leads the fine white category, with the volume of bottles from the region sold at auction increasing by 37% between 2023 and 2024. db looks into the trend.
Whites still have an important role to play in the fine wine arena, accounting for around 28.7% of all bottles sold in iDealwine auctions in 2024.
Speaking to the drinks business, the auction house’s co-founder Angélique de Lencquesaing says: “Unsurprisingly, Burgundy’s Chardonnays continue to dominate this category.”
A total of 26,657 white Burgundy bottles were sold at auction in 2024 – a record increase of 37% in volume. Of these, 3,700 were grand cru whites (scaled to 750ml), with 61% coming from the Côte de Beaune and 39% from Chablis.
“The Côte de Nuits represented less than 1%,” says de Lencquesaing.
Top prices
The highest-priced white wine from 2024 was a 2005 Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru from Domaine d’Auvenay, which sold for €16,875 – a leap of more than 300% on this wine’s price estimate five years ago. For context, the average price of a white grand cru from Burgundy reached €459 per bottle in 2024 – nearly double the overall average for Burgundy wines (€250).
“However, several other French regions outside of Burgundy are increasing their share of white wine sales at auction,” says de Lencquesaing, “with the Loire Valley, the Rhône Valley, Savoie and Jura all leaving strong impressions.”
Continuing, she says: “Loire whites are celebrated for their freshness and complexity, while Rhône whites regularly feature among the highest-priced.”
According to de Lencquesaing, she has noticed “a clear shift in consumer preferences in the fine wine market towards white wines that are fresh, elegant and aromatic”.
Noteworthy white wine auction results at iDealwine (all sold in June 2025)
Jura
1 bottle of 1983 Arbois Pupillin Vin Jaune Pierre Overnoy: €1,189
Loire
1 bottle of 2002 Vin de France Génèse Xavier Caillard – Les Jardins Esmeraldins: €1,089 (+16%)
1 bottle of 2017 Saumur Brézé Clos Rougeard: €275 (+32%)
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Rhône
1 bottle of 2010 Châteauneuf-du- Pape Château Rayas Emmanuel Reynaud: €563
Languedoc
1 bottle of 2018 IGP Pays d’Hérault Grange des Pères Laurent Vaillé: €300
Alsace
1 bottle of 2005 Alsace Riesling Clos Sainte-Hune Trimbach: €275 (+5%)
Burgundy (Côte de Beaune)
1 bottle of 2019 Vin de France Les Reipes Tino Kuban – Les Jardins Vivants: €2,003 (+10%)
Bordeaux whites
Earlier this year, db’s Bordeaux correspondent Colin Hay reviewed the 2024 vintage whites en primeur from the region, cautioning that élevage would likely be “very important in determining the quality in bottle of these wines.”
The highest scorer (96-98 points) was Pavillon Blanc de Château Margaux, which Hay attests was “fresh and vivid and vibrant… with a lovely delicate limestone and saline minerality. So pure and fresh and linear on the rippling long finish. Exquisite.”
Among those awarded Hay’s second highest scoring band (95-97 points) were Château La Mission Haut-Brion blanc; Château Smith Haut-Lafitte and Château Cos d’Estournel blanc, the latter of which he described as “explosive in the mouth” and “a study in tension – between the colossal horizontal range and the acidity that seeks to demolish it vertically.”
Burgundy favourite
Of the Burgundy whites released in the 2025 hors Bordeaux campaign, Hay’s stand-out expression was the following.
Quentin Jeannot Les Narvaux Meursault 2023
“Lime and linden, beeswax, those early spring hedgerow floral notes. This is wondrously fresh and chiselled. Pure and nicely focused, despite the considerable density. This never threatens to lose its shape. Racy and almost painfully juicy on the finish.” (94 points)
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